A to Z with Kalen McGill

P.K. Yonge junior pitcher Kalen McGill loves to cook when she is not playing softball.

Erica Brough/Staff photographer

By John BootheCorrespondent

Published: Thursday, March 7, 2013 at 9:44 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, March 7, 2013 at 9:44 a.m.

School: P.K. Yonge

Year: Junior

Position: Pitcher

Jersey number: 8

Height: 5-foot-10

A rea softball player I would pay to watch play: (Buchholz catcher) Cassidy McDilda. She's very quick and her skills are out-of-this-world good. And the thing I admire the most out of her is her sportsmanship.

B eing honored at the 30th Annual Ebony Appreciation Awards Banquet this year as P.K. Yonge's first African-American softball pitcher was … great. My sister is a part of it, and I didn't know I was getting an award. So basically they just told me to get dressed up. Then they called my name and I'm thinking, “I don't know what to say.” I didn't have anything written down.

C oach Paul Silverman's words of advice for me: “Finish what you started.”

D inner on an ideal night: Texas Roadhouse.

E asiest part of my school day: Lunch.

F avorite type of music: I love rap and reggae.

G ators softball is … pretty good. They have some girls that I played against in high school like Taylore Fuller. I was there on my visit and I hung with her and Kelsey Stewart, so it was great.

H oisting the state championship trophy this season will take ... everything we have. It will take us bonding together more as a team. We have it. We just need to spend a little more time with each other.

I nteresting thing about me away from softball: I love to cook. I cook curry chicken and soul food. Our Thanksgiving is out of this world.

J oker on the team: I would say Katie O'Dell. She's just silly. She'll go around dancing to any song. It can be any song. She doesn't even have to know it.

K s or homers? I'd rather have a strikeout.

L east favorite sport to watch: Lacrosse.

M y top hangout spot in Gainesville is … the movies. I love scary movies.

N ickname? JoJo.

O ne person in my life who inspires me most: My mother.

P otential college major: Criminal justice.

Q uiet time activity: Reading at Books-A-Million.

R eading the newspaper or going online to get my high school sports coverage: Read it in print form.

S oftball should be in the Olympics because … I want to go play softball in the Olympics.

T oughest moment of my high school career ... losing Jessica Nathan, who was my catcher and my closest friend. That's my sister. I was proud she got a scholarship (to the College of Central Florida) but losing her was kind of tough for me.

W hich of your team's 10 wins this season has been the most rewarding? (At) Columbia. Their crowd is very supportive. And for us to have a young team. ... We really came together that game, and I was so proud of them.

X box, PlayStation or Wii? PS3. “Call of Duty.”

Y ear I was born: 1995.

Z oo animal I like most: Lion. Their strong and the king of the jungle.

<p><b>School: </b>P.K. Yonge</p><p><b>Year: </b>Junior </p><p><b>Position: </b>Pitcher</p><p><b>Jersey number: </b>8</p><p><b>Height: </b>5-foot-10</p><p><b>A </b>rea softball player I would pay to watch play: (Buchholz catcher) Cassidy McDilda. She's very quick and her skills are out-of-this-world good. And the thing I admire the most out of her is her sportsmanship.</p><p><b>B </b>eing honored at the 30th Annual Ebony Appreciation Awards Banquet this year as P.K. Yonge's first African-American softball pitcher was … great. My sister is a part of it, and I didn't know I was getting an award. So basically they just told me to get dressed up. Then they called my name and I'm thinking, “I don't know what to say.” I didn't have anything written down.</p><p><b>C </b>oach Paul Silverman's words of advice for me: “Finish what you started.”</p><p><b>D </b>inner on an ideal night: Texas Roadhouse.</p><p><b>E </b>asiest part of my school day: Lunch.</p><p><b>F </b>avorite type of music: I love rap and reggae.</p><p><b>G </b>ators softball is … pretty good. They have some girls that I played against in high school like Taylore Fuller. I was there on my visit and I hung with her and Kelsey Stewart, so it was great.</p><p><b>H </b>oisting the state championship trophy this season will take ... everything we have. It will take us bonding together more as a team. We have it. We just need to spend a little more time with each other.</p><p><b>I </b>nteresting thing about me away from softball: I love to cook. I cook curry chicken and soul food. Our Thanksgiving is out of this world.</p><p><b>J </b>oker on the team: I would say Katie O'Dell. She's just silly. She'll go around dancing to any song. It can be any song. She doesn't even have to know it.</p><p><b>K </b>s or homers? I'd rather have a strikeout.</p><p><b>L </b>east favorite sport to watch: Lacrosse.</p><p><b>M </b>y top hangout spot in Gainesville is … the movies. I love scary movies.</p><p><b>N </b>ickname? JoJo.</p><p><b>O </b>ne person in my life who inspires me most: My mother.</p><p><b>P </b>otential college major: Criminal justice.</p><p><b>Q </b>uiet time activity: Reading at Books-A-Million.</p><p><b>R </b>eading the newspaper or going online to get my high school sports coverage: Read it in print form.</p><p><b>S </b>oftball should be in the Olympics because … I want to go play softball in the Olympics.</p><p><b>T </b>oughest moment of my high school career ... losing Jessica Nathan, who was my catcher and my closest friend. That's my sister. I was proud she got a scholarship (to the College of Central Florida) but losing her was kind of tough for me.</p><p><b>U </b>niversities or colleges considering? Mississippi State, South Alabama, Florida Gulf Coast and Florida International.</p><p><b>V </b>acation spot I love: Crescent Beach.</p><p><b>W </b>hich of your team's 10 wins this season has been the most rewarding? (At) Columbia. Their crowd is very supportive. And for us to have a young team. ... We really came together that game, and I was so proud of them.</p><p><b>X </b>box, PlayStation or Wii? PS3. “Call of Duty.”</p><p><b>Y </b>ear I was born: 1995.</p><p><b>Z </b>oo animal I like most: Lion. Their strong and the king of the jungle.</p>